2.1: Finished Hand-Ins of Typology Categories

The final look of the folded category hand-ins is quite 'lo-fi' and simple. It's not perfect, as the idea of the format is basic anyway, and I wanted to play on a hand crafted look and appeal. I added hand drawn type and stickers to create that one-off zine effect.

I wanted to print these in double sided A2 sheets so that the final folded item would be larger and you could see the programme images more clearly, however it is too expensive and impossible to to print that size double sided so I have created them from A3 paper.

I think it still works as an aesthetic set of category hand-ins for my Typology, and look forward to the second part of the workshop to learn about developing this avenue into a proper zine!

Here is a rough video of me flicking through one of the hand-ins (to show how they work)!

2.1: Considering Appearance of Hand-ins

We have to create A3 (in my case I will use A2 sized sheets so that the details of the programme cover images can be seem better) folded pieces illustrating at least three of the different categories we cam up with for our Typology. I have decided to try and create all 5 of mine stated previously.

As the images of the programme covers are scans and everything I can produce needs to be digital because of the large size of the typology, it means that I have missed out on aesthetics that others will have had, such as the texture of having physical items to hold and use.

For the folded hand-ins, I just wanted to see if I could re-scan the images in any way to create a more 'lo-fi', textured appeal:

Scanned, Photographed & the Original

I like the faded quality of the scanned image however, on covers with more fine details, the quality was lost, so I decided to stick with the original scanned images (far right). It is important to be able to see all the colours and content of these decadent designs.

2.1: Thoughts on the Categories & Typology

When you group together the selection of programmes into the categories, or even as a whole typology, there is so much information made available to you. It illustrates the methods of the theatre, the progression on the art styles, and even more serious connotations on political and social influences, if you care to look that far into it! This source of analysis could be really useful to put toward the RSC, to help them clearly look back on their marketing development and see whether there are any possible changes they could make, if needed.

Please bear in mind that this collection is subjective to the viewing habits of my parents as a couple who have been attending the theatre over the last 28 years. It is based on their personal taste and variable circumstances, so will document these aspects a small amount as well.

Chronological

It is immediately obvious the the earlier programmes relied a lot more on an illustrative approach. The RSC were also more experimental with the shapes and style of the programmes, having long thin ones and square ones, and only really instigating a regimental logo (in the same place and same colours) in the early 2000s (2004). The use of creating a series of programmes reflecting a 'season' at the theatre also became more common once in the 2000s.

On personal reflection, whilst the logo is integral to the company's identity, and hasn't changed form a large amount since the start of the typology, I do think the set use of the logo in the red space, top left corner, can restrict the designs a little, rather than be integrated into the visuals like in the earlier releases. Perhaps the RSC, since moving into the new millennium, used this to help construct a more formal and identifiable brand appearance, especially since their direction towards their re-development and new approach to marketing and widening their audiences.

Media

As mentioned previously, the illustrative style is more in use in the earlier decades. Covers that use photographic material seems to be more and more common in latest years, also noting, a slight preference of using photographs specifically for Shakespeare's plays. However, all the covers, especially when seen all together, are so rich in colour, texture, type and format that, no matter whether they are illustrative or photographic, they all appear mixed media, and rely on that artistic freedom.

Seasons

The RSC release a set of plays they are putting on for each season of the year, and also occasionally take influence from visiting companies or social occasions. As we have seen from the Chronological category, the RSC started to implement the use of related visuals on their programmes, to link these seasons together, within the mid 2000s. This makes them into a collection, much the same as a series of books, which, I presume, makes it more desirable for audiences, and more of an incentive to attend everything the RSC has to offer!

Gender

This category has the most political tendencies for obvious reasons. When grouped together, there are more programme covers with just males on, than just women, however there is a majority on covers with both male and female characters. Is this still a cause for concern? It's difficult to pass judgement as you have to consider the times Shakespeare lived in of course, and the amount of his plays which focus on a lead male character. However, Shakespeare is also really known for his strong female characters and roles. If you look at the covers for plays that are not Shakespeare, the ones with female role models are slightly more common than those with men. It seems feminism in independent publications is prominent.

Plays

Each play that has been represented more than once is displayed in many varied styles, however the core emotive concept of the play in the question is always the same or similar, for example the cheeky, slightly humorous appeal of all the covers for "Merry Wives of Windsor", and the dark surrealism of "Richard iii". The attribute that came up which can be taken for consideration is noting which of the Shakespeare plays were repeated the most or the least within the last 30 or so years. Surprisingly, some plays which I thought would be considered popular, such as "Much Ado About Nothing", have only been put on once! (Although it is now being played in the coming season, Summer 2012).

2.1: Plays

2.1: Seasons

Summer/Autumn 2007

The Spanish Golden Age

The Complete Works

Birmingham Theatre

Spring/ Summer 2009

Winter/ Spring 09/10

50th Birthday Season

Summer/Autumn 2008

The Shipwrecked Trilogy

2.1: Gender

Men

Women

Both

2.1: Media

Illustrative

Photographic

2.1: Chronological

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2.1: The Whole Collection

I made two categories using the whole collection to start off with so I could use them as references.

Chronological

Colour Shading

2.1: Starting to Build my Categories

In the workshop today we were starting to build and consider our categories that we can apply to our typologies. The categories I think I will focus on are the following:

Chronological (Decades)

Groups (one person, couples, more)

Gender (male, female, both)

Seasons (marketing themes on a selection of plays that RSC instigate)

Same plays (the same Shakespeare plays done multiple times)

Photographs

Illustrations

Shapes (A4, Square, thin)

Here are some photos of me laying out some groups within the "Seasons" category...

2.1: Realising I already have collections!

We had our second day for the Workshop A, and everyone showed examples of their collections for their typologies. Some of the collections made me realise that we all collect something or other, I just never thought of it at the time!

I'm happy with using the RSC programme covers for my final typology, but I just wanted to illustrate other examples of collections I already have, such as sequins, beads and live sketches of people done over my college/ university years.